Tethe'alla's regeneration
by nife
Summary: This is Tales of Symphonia, Tethe'alla regeneration edition. This is my own edition on if Zelos was the one to go on the journey, that is hopefully not as lame as half the fics I've seen. Please enjoy, and have fun guessing who's who.


Well, here I am torturing myself again in the masochistic way that only fanfiction can, yes I am writing a ToS fic.

Enjoy the show kitties, it'll likely be the last.

I don't own anything, not to ToS anyways, and I wouldn't want to because it would weigh to heavily on my soul.

-

_I know…_

_Sometimes there are sad things in this world__…_

_All the lies that we use to hide our failure, our shame__…_

_But I like this world, because you and everyone dear are still here__…_

_As long as that continues to be, I will fight for your safety_

_And perhaps too__…__I will finally be redeemed._

-

"Oi, where is that stupid chosen…" A purple clad ninja mumbled as she trekked along, looking for her patron, whom she was suppose to be escorting to the temple today to receive his blessing. There was no doubt that the fool had run off to get some last minute 'hunny' action, as he called it, before he was to set off to bring the world salvation.

The ninja woman grumbled, irritated that she had to go find him and bring him back…why couldn't Regal have gone? He had much more patience than her. "Zelos! Where are you?!" she shouted, her irritation finally getting the better of her.

"No need to shout hunny, I'm right here." A male voice answered from right above her. Lo and behold there was the fool laying on the roof of a house, red hair flapping lazily in the wind. Still, it was a bit surprising since there were no women about, squealing like newborn pigs. "What do you need Sheena?" he asked breaking her out of her reverie.

"Ah, I was just looking for you, since you know the time of the oracle is about to begin." Sheena, as he'd called her, replied.

"Yeah, well I thought I'd enjoy my last few minutes of freedom…" Zelos mumbled, to low for her to hear.

"What?" Sheena asked, tilting her head towards him and wondering about the strange mood he'd been in since the beginning of the day.

"Nothing, they want me back already?" he stated more than asked, jumping down from his position, "Fine, I'll come." He walked past her and towards the church where the priests and mercenaries who were to accompany him waited.

"Uh Zelos…" Sheena began awkwardly, not sure how to talk to the strange man, only Regal ever seemed to be able to talk to him seriously, "are you…okay?"

"Yep, couldn't have been better." he replied a wide smile on his face. "Let's go and get this show on the road."

Staring at the back of his retreating figure, Sheena shrugged and jogged to catch up with him.

-

**TALES OF SYMPHONIA **(the Tethe'alla chosen ova style edition lol)

-

"I see so then…" Regal stood before the priests that were to accompany the chosen Zelos on his regeneration, he'd come here to wish Zelos a safe journey only to see the church in a dizzy about the redhead missing. He had volunteered to go find him but his attendant and personal guardian; Sheena had been voted to go instead.

He'd been having a conversation with the priests about Zelos when a bright light emanating from the ceiling cut him short. All the priests and mercenaries gasped and the blunet too was taken aback by the magnificent glow.

Which meant that Zelos was late and would likely get a scolding for making the angel wait, not that he ever listened to the priests no matter how loud they got. Perhaps that was the price of being a child of superior intellect, unable to mindlessly obey his 'superiors'. Even when Regal had taught him he'd known that the child was troubled by the duties laid upon him, which is why he'd made it his own duty to somehow give the man, who was naught but a child at the time, someone to talk to, who wouldn't judge. No matter how little comfort that would be…

"The oracle, the oracle from Kharlan is here!" A priest gasped, nearly falling to his knees in worship. While Regal himself was a religious man, he'd never really approved of the 'chosen one's journey', one that would ultimately…

Once again his thoughts were broken when a quake and loud bang ragged around him, knocking him to his feet. "The Desians! The Desians are attacking!!!" A mercenary shouted, him and the others drawing their blades. Through the smoke they saw vague figures that were marching towards them. The mercenaries ushered the priests and himself behind them then turned face the approaching men.

It was for naught however, because no sooner than Regal had moved out of the way did a spell of earth hit two of the mercenaries in front of him, crushing them instantly. Regal gasped and fell back, to his fortune behind a bunch of rubble that had likely been decoration of some sort before it had been broken by the earth tremble.

The sounds of steal hitting steal and of men choking on their own blood filled the air as the mercenaries and priests alike hit the ground. When the smoke cleared he realized that he was now alone with the intruders though they had yet to notice his presence.

"Where the hell is the chosen?!" One of the Desians shouted, kicking the body of the head priest. The man had long since breathed his last and so gave no answer.

"Idiot, you shouldn't have killed them all." Another growled, moving his head to survey the area. "Now I suppose we wait for him to show."

"Do you think he will, we gave a fairly large warning we were here?" Another said, poking one of the bodies on the floor.

"He'll come," the leader, it seemed, sneered, "the oracle is here after all…"

-

"That explosion came from the temple!" Sheena shouted, looking on with growing horror at the black billowing smoke.

"The Desians…" Zelos growled, drawing his blade and taking off at a run towards the church.

"Zelos! Chosen one stop!" Sheena said, giving chase and catching up immediately to him. "If it is the Desians then you can't go in there! You'll be killed!"

"And if I don't this world will die instead!" Zelos shouted back at her, not halting in the least. "I have to try, I can't let those…monsters continue unchecked!!"

"Wait Zelos please!" Sheena begged, out of breath from trying to keep up and speak at the same time. "If you die the world will die too!"

Slowing then stopping, Zelos stood and considered, eyes always looking to church that burned. "I have to Sheena…and besides, if you stay beside me then I'll be safe right? That's your job isn't it, to protect me?" he asked, smiling towards her.

Sighing in irritation at the man, though she knew he was right; she looked at him noticing his own determination. "Fine, I guess I can't be called a ninja if I fail my duties now, eh?" she answered at length, "Keep beside me and don't do anything stupid!"

"Wouldn't dream of it hunny!" Zelos said with a smirk and took off running again.

"Idiot, what did I just say?!" Sheena shouted, quickly setting off herself to catch him. She didn't have to run for long before she'd caught up again since he'd stopped dead at the foot of the building. There were bodies of soldiers that had been protecting the church, as well as nuns and a couple of important dignitaries that hadn't escaped when the desians had first attacked. In short it was a massacre. "Chosen…" Sheena whispered, walking up to the shaking man.

"How, how could they!?!" Zelos shouted in outrage, then once again took off running into the building.

"Zelos stop!" Sheena called to him, albeit to late. "Damn it, always running off!!" she growled and followed after.

A moment later another figure approached the building, one wearing a purple so dark it was nearly black and a strong looking blade.

-

"Is anyone here? Priest Micheal, priest Opith?" Zelos shouted over the roar of flames and sounds of breaking building. He knew that he'd have to leave soon or the building it's self would be his demise. "Where are you?!"

"Zelos! No, run away!" A voice answered his call, echoing from the chamber where he was supposed to receive his blessing.

"There's still one alive, get him!" Another voice echoed.

"That was…Regal!" Zelos gasped in surprise, running faster than before to help the man he knew and cherished before he met the same fate as the people outside. As he got closer the sounds of battle echoed through the hall, only making the redhead panic more and run faster, long forgotten that Sheena was suppose to be there helping him. "Regal!" he shouted as he entered the room, seeing the desians advancing on his friend, though several of them were on the ground.

"It's the chosen one!" A desian laughed, turning from Regal and advancing on him instead. This proved to be fatal as Regal kicked him in the back and with a sickening snap he crumpled to the floor, shrieking in pain.

"Regal! Why are you…?" Zelos began to ask only to be interrupted.

"No time for questions, help me fight them chosen!" Regal ordered, his voice as strong as it had been when he was Zelos' professor.

"R-Right!" Zelos agreed, beginning to engage the men himself. He became quickly aware however that they outmatched him as, though he'd been trained in combat, he had no experience in fighting with people that actually intended to kill him and these men had plenty. He was knocked back and though he managed to keep his blade steady, with every one of their swings his own strength wavered.

"Zelos!" He'd heard his old professor shout as warning before a blade came down towards his head, only to be intercepted by a pair of hands catching the arm that held the blade and twisting so the man fell over.

"Sheena!" Zelos shouted in relief, getting in a battle stance a moment later.

"Idiot, I told you not to run off!" she shouted at him and likely would have hit him too if it hadn't been for the fact that she had to immediately knock down another enemy.

"Sorry…" Zelos said, wincing as another man hit the ground.

Sheena was about to say something else when a man that seemed to big for the room stepped in, carrying a morning star on a chain in one hand and a large hammer in the other. "You will not get in our way woman!" he shouted at her and immediately started attacking.

She managed to duck and dodge away from the swings but the room was far to small with all the rubble and bodies strewn about and soon the ninja was trapped.

"Sheena!" Zelos shouted, slicing at the man to try to get him to attack him instead but the giant would have none of it and began to bring the hammer down upon the purple clad ninja. Only to have his arm suddenly removed from it's body, landing somewhere amongst the bodies. He shouted in horror and looked where the appendage lay only to have his legs cut beneath him and then his head.

"M-My goddess!" Regal shouted, looking at the lumps that use to be a man.

"Sheena, are you okay?" Zelos shouted to her, worried for his friend.

"I-I'm fine but how…?" Sheena asked, looking at the body than up to the man who stood, blade drawn, over the body of the giant.

"Whoa! Where did you come from?!" Zelos shouted in surprise, only noticing the man now that Sheena was looking straight at him.

The man had no time to answer him however because a bright light filled the room once again and this time an angel appeared.

"I am Lord Remiel, an angel of Cruxis." the angel said glancing down upon them, "Is the chosen of mana here?" he asked.

"I am…" Zelos said, stepping up to the alter where the angel hung above. "I am here to receive my blessing." He bowed his head to the angel, whom looked at him with cold and calculating eyes.

"Then come forward and offer your prayers to the alter." Remiel instructed.

"As you wish my lord." Zelos answered, placing his hands together and praying in angelic, something Sheena had never heard before. The last few sentences were in the common tongues, "I swear upon this life that the angels granted that I shall regenerate the world and bring peace to her people, in the name of Martel the goddess and the angels that watch and guard us, and the name of the holy title of chosen."

"Very good chosen one, we of Cruxis bless this event and bestow upon Tethe'alla the tower of salvation." Remiel replied, raising his hand towards the grand windows that had long since broke because of the attack. In the distance the clouds parted and a great white tower appeared, seeming to go into the heavens themselves. "Make your way west of here, to the great mountains and offer your prayers at the alter, I shall be waiting."

"Wait, lord Remiel…I have a question I wish to ask of you." Zelos called to the angel before he disappeared. "Is it true that you are my fa-"

"Go chosen one Zelos, my beloved son, I shall see you at the next alter." and with that the angel disappeared in a flash of light.

"I see…so then the rumor was true." Regal commented, walking up to Zelos.

"Rumor?" Sheena echoed, confusion in her voice.

"The rumor that Zelos is truly the child of an angel, and not related to his passed father." Regal replied, now looking to the mercenary. "I don't think we got your reply, your name is?"

"I will tell you in a moment, this building is crumbling, and we must escape." Their strange rescuer replied, walking towards the exit.

"You're correct, chosen please come." Sheena said, placing a hand on Zelos' shoulder who startled slightly.

"Ah yes…" he said and followed the others out of the building.

-

The group from the church had made it back safely to Meltokio thanks to Kratos and had immediately gone to the cathedral where the pope waited for Zelos to return. They'd been ushered into his room as soon as they'd entered. "Chosen, you've returned! Thank goddess Martel." he said, holding his old chest.

"Pope John…" Zelos said, eyes reflecting his sorrow. "I'm sorry, none on the priest or mercenaries made it…many others have died as well, we'll need to go back and get the bodies."

"So then the priests have already…" The pope sighed, stroking his beard in thought. "It will take a while to bring more in from somewhere else and mercenaries are hard to find right now as the king is hiring them all out for the war."

"It was the desians." Zelos glared, looking off to the side.

"Then why don't I accompany him as well?" Regal suggested, smiling at Zelos when the young man's eyes lit up.

"But you are a professor, not a soldier, are you able to make such a trip?" The pope asked, his curious gaze on Regal.

"I have talent in the healing arts and I also know how to fight, if the chosen approves then I will certainly accompany him," Regal answered, "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

"Please pope John, I believe that Regal would be of great assistance!" Zelos said, trying to be formal while containing his excitement.

"If you desire it chosen then it will be done…" the pope agreed, "so then it will be Sheena, Kratos and Regal that shall accompany you." he stood, opening his desk's drawer and getting an official looking book out. "I shall document this and write up your contract Kratos." he said, quickly writing a couple of things in the book then pulling out another sheet, one that looked to be a contract that had been used for the previous mercenaries, filling in a few things before handing it to redhead mercenary to look over.

After reading over it, Kratos signed it then handed it back, nodding to the pope.

"Then everything is set…when do you intend to head out chosen one?" the pope asked, eyes drifting to the young man.

"I will set out tomorrow," Zelos answered, standing himself, "that gives everyone time to rest, and I also need to do just a couple more things."

Looking around her, Sheena noticed that Regal's face was glum, Kratos' was colder than usual, and the pope was somber at the mention of Zelos' 'things to do'. Curious and certainly not understanding why the room suddenly descended into gloom, she opened her mouth to ask when the chosen quickly turned and with a bright smile that was totally ill fit for the atmosphere, left the room.

"I will follow and keep watch over him." Kratos said quickly and quietly as always, excusing himself and following the other redhead.

Regal too stood and quietly excused himself and Sheena proceeded to do the same, following after the blunet to ask him what was wrong. Once again it took her only a moment to catch up with the tall man, walking beside him as he quickly moved through the cathedral.

"Regal, uh…" She'd begun awkwardly, once again not really sure how to begin going about asking her question.

"Just come and watch later and you will understand." Regal said to her, as quietly as when he'd dismissed himself, making her strain to hear. "I will meet you at the town square.

"Alright." Sheena said, watching as he left.

-

A while later Sheena went to meet with Regal, he only glanced up at him then began to walk and lead her out of the city as quickly as possible and to where a large group of people stood. Curious again she walked through the crowd to see what they were looking at and gasped at the sight.

There the chosen stood, his back to them as he sung prayers and as the priests and grave workers buried the people who'd died during the desians' attack. Now she understood, this was a tradition of the church…to have a priest or, if it could be, the chosen themselves sing a song of prayer to the deceased so that they would go in peace.

It was a…lovely sound, the song but at the same time it brought a great sadness to Sheena's heart as she saw the people about her mourn the loss and while she couldn't see his face she knew through his voice that Zelos was trembling.

-

_And finished! Waha! I am brilliant! A (non-retarded) what if it was Zelos setting out on the journey of regeneration fic! Expect tones more angst and continue guessing who will be what in this story (lol and how they'll be introduced) obviously this won't be the same as Colette's journey as 1) they're in Tethe'alla and 2) this is Zelos, who won't apologize for existing like a certain other chosen. _

_Hope you'll all keep reading this and enjoy, will I post more, who the hell knows. I am after all a lazy bastard._

_Btw, those of you wondering when and where the actual 'desian attack is, remember, I have to accommodate the situation and characters, but it's given me an idea on how to introduce Presea. Wait for it, it'll nip you in the ass._


End file.
